My invention relates generally to bag tossing games involving one or more players. More particularly, the invention relates to bag tossing games involving apertured, slightly inclined targets which can be coupled together for transportation, and which can also function as display devices for advertising logos and the like.
In the prior art a variety of tossing games including a number of different projectiles and missiles have been proposed. Previous tossing games have employed metallic darts, golf balls, softballs, baseballs, footballs and the like. The prior art also reflects generally inclined, target board devices having an apertured front surface which act as targets for associated projectiles.
The concept of providing a tossing game with apertured, inclined planes which function as targets was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,021,989, issued Nov. 26, 1935. The latter reference discloses an inclined plane having an aperture functioning as a target. When balls are tossed by a player towards the target, they may be collected within a captivated collection pocket if they penetrate the target orifice.
The most relevant prior art known to me comprises U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,793, issued Dec. 21, 1971, and entitled Sandbag and Target Apparatus. In that device a pair of fixed, wedge shaped half sections, each including an apertured and inclined plane functioning as a target, may be deployed separately in a tossing game configuration, or they may be clamped together when desired to transport the device. Preferably bags are tossed towards the each target, and various points may be scored by the players. Scoring, for example, may take place when bags penetrate the central orifice, or remain on the target surface after a round. Both of the target half sections are relatively cumbersome and heavy, making convenient transportation and deployment difficult. In addition, when the two target wedges are clamped together, the net volume of the coupled unit is approximately twice that of either wedge unit alone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,929 issued Dec. 1, 1987 discloses a pair of apertured game boards which can be deployed in an inclined playing mode, and which can be coupled together for transportation. Haney U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,650, issued Sept. 24, 1974 discloses a bag tossing target device having a pair of hingedly connected panels which can be deployed in an inclined plane target mode. An aperture in the target surface is provided for receiving a bag, and the game contemplates scoring by penetrating the orifice. Similar devices are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,291,104, issued July 28, 1942, 4,223,229 issued Jan. 6, 1981, and 4,565,375, issued Jan. 21, 1986, all of which disclose target boards having an orifice. U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,653 issued to Fox, Sept. 24, 1974, comprises a game in which a slightly inclined plane forms a target for a golf ball.
Other less relevant tossing games involving bags or the like can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,554,550; 4,186,925; 4,116,443; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 252,047. U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,280, issued Nov. 25, 1969 discloses a bean bag design for a projectile suitable for use in bag tossing games.
However, the known prior art fails to disclose a bag tossing game in which identical, lightweight board components may be easily snapped together for suitable transportation, and which may be quickly unsnapped and then foldably erected for play. The devices proposed heretofore have not disclosed a game wherein the individual interfitting plastic parts enable the game to be quickly deployed in either transportable, display, or playing modes, wherein the parts are appropriately reinforced without adding unnecessary weight. None combines a bag storage device in a modularized embodiment in which weight has been evenly distributed for ease of handling, and no known prior art bag tossing game design economically facilitates production through blow molding techniques. No known bag tossing game combines an advertisement which is integral with the game but yet separate.